Control of heat dissipation

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to preventing electronic devices (e.g., mobile terminal devices) from overheating in a communication network environment. Heat related information indicating heat generation or a simple temperature measurement at the terminal device may be sent to a network element causing the network element to adjust an inactivity period and/or a actual transmission data rate, (e.g. using a DRX/DTX parameter adjustment), so that no further rise in temperature at the terminal device occurs because of dissipation losses in the electronic components of the terminal device. Additionally, a control loop may be constituted starting at the terminal device, which detects the heat related information, provides the heat related information explicitly or implicitly to a network device, which in turn causes the network device to adjust the inactivity period and/or the transmission data rate base on the provided heat related information.

RELATED APPLICATION INFORMATION

This application claims priority to European provisional applicationEP06017298.8, filed Aug. 18, 2006, whose contents are expresslyincorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to adjusting an inactivity period and/oran actual throughput of data transmission in relation to heat relatedinformation, wherein the heat related information is based on at leastone of actual heat generation or actual temperature of electroniccomponents or parts thereof in an electronic device.

BACKGROUND

Portable electronic devices are operated in wide range of environmentalconditions. One of the most problematic aspects thereof is temperature.It is possible to protect an electronic device from moist and light, butin most situations it is impossible to develop feasible solution toprevent impact of extreme heat or chilling cold on the device.

A cold environment does not pose major problem on most of the componentsof which an electronic device is comprised. Only components likedisplays and mechanics may be affected by cold. In contrast, warm or hotenvironments create a problem for electronic devices, in particular whenthe device is dissipating heat by its own. In other words, electronicdevices having high heat dissipation in operation or certain modes ofoperation need a certain gap between its own temperature and theenvironmental temperature to be able to get rid of it thermaldissipations losses. In extreme cases an electronic device may overheatand, as a consequence, overheat might, for instance, cause the device tobreak or stop functioning temporally. Also, as heat generation, inparticular thermal dissipations losses, comes along with device'sintended operation, heat management is to be seen as a big issue.

Further, highest heat dissipation normally occurs during intensive useof the device. As mentioned above, there is a relation between thefunctional reliability of an electronic device and the heat which thedevice is exposed to, including the heat generation of device itself.Hence, the problem of overheating concerns, in particular electronicdevices comprising high capacity processors or hardware components. Oneexample for such an electronic device is a portable or mobile devicealike a mobile phone, also called mobile terminal or mobile station, ormore general user equipment (UE). In the recent times, such mobilecommunication devices have been developed to highly integratedfunctional devices providing high sophisticated functionalities ascommunication of voice, data as well as multi-media. For those purposes,the user equipment comprises powerful processing units and components.Also the size of the UE is related to its capabilities to get rid ofheat. The trend of UE's becoming smaller and smaller results also in asmaller surface of the UE as heat interface to the surrounding air.

User equipment, as mobile terminals for mobile communication and datatransmission generate a substantial amount of thermal dissipations ifthere is an ongoing active data transmission and/or reception. Moreparticular, the actual data rate or amount of transmitted or receiveddata is correlated with the generated dissipation losses by theequipment's own hardware components involved. For control of heatdissipation within a mobile device, for example control of hardwarecomponents used by a certain protocol, there are several aspects toconsider.

First of all, temperature as an environmental condition varies highly.Environmental temperature is an external impact parameter which cannotbe influenced. This causes issues with design as mentioned above.

Further, a device containing a certain protocol implementation may haveto handle high throughput data transfers. A high data rate normallymeans increased heat generation within the device, but the assigned datarate is controlled by the network according to the user equipment'scapability.

Furthermore, less or even no heat is generated during periods withnon-active transmission or reception, that means cooling down ispossible. Such non-activity periods are for example controlled throughdiscontinuous reception (DRX) and discontinuous transmission (DTX)periods, which are, however, controlled in a centralized manner by anetwork element. In other words, the user equipment is not able toaffect control of non-activity periods.

To sum it up, the worst case scenario could be that the user equipmentis to be limited to lower throughputs to ensure operation on wholetemperature range. Alternatively, development cost is expected toincrease due to the need of equipment or devices which are able tohandle high data rates throughout the whole temperature range.Nevertheless there are still problems posed on user equipment (UE)designs, because UE has to be designed to handle worst case scenarios,that is to say most extreme heat conditions with maximum throughput.Accordingly, there remains a need for techniques for controlling heatdissipation in electronic devices.

SUMMARY

In light of the foregoing, the present invention relates to methods anddevices for enabling flexible control of actual heat generation oractual temperature of electronic components caused by an operationcondition of a device.

In a certain exemplary embodiment, a device-side method includes thesteps of generating at a data receiving terminal device, being connectedto a communication network sending data to the terminal device, heatrelated information based on at least one of actual heat generation oractual temperature of electronic components or parts thereof in theterminal device, sending the heat related information to thecommunication network, and causing the network to adjusting of aninactivity period and/or an actual throughput of data send to theterminal device from the communication network in response to the heatrelated information.

In another example, a network-side method includes the steps ofreceiving heat related information at a communication network from aterminal device connected thereto, wherein the heat related informationbeing based on at least one of actual heat generation or actualtemperature of electronic components or parts thereof in the terminaldevice, and adjusting of an inactivity period and/or an actualthroughput of data send from the network to the terminal device inresponse to the heat related information.

According to another aspect, computer readable media (e.g., computerprogram products) may include code for producing the steps of methodssimilar to those described above when run on a computing device.

In yet another example, a terminal device may include at least onedetector for heat related information based on at least one of actualheat generation or actual temperature of electronic components or partsthereof in the terminal device, and a signalling control unit configuredto send the heat related information to a communication network, towhich the terminal device is connected; wherein the heat relatedinformation is intended as reference information for the network inadjusting the inactivity period and/or an actual throughput of datatransmission from the communication network to the terminal device.

In another example, a network element may include a control unit, bywhich network element is able to control throughput of data transmissionon a communication connection the communication network to a terminaldevice connected to the network element, wherein the network element isconfigured to adjust an inactivity period and/or an actual throughput ofdata transmission upon reception of heat related information from theterminal device, wherein the heat related information is based on atleast one of actual heat generation or actual temperature of electroniccomponents or parts thereof in the terminal device.

Additional aspects relate to a system for adjusting an inactivity periodand/or an actual throughput of data transmission on a communicationconnection the communication network to a terminal device connected tothe network element in a communication network, the system including atleast one terminal device and one network element similar to thosedescribed above.

Accordingly, certain embodiments relate to a simple and effectivesolution for an electronic device (e.g., a terminal device) to informimplicitly or explicitly a communication network to which the terminaldevice is connected to on its actual heat situation such that thecommunication network is caused to adjust or adapt the inactivity periodand/or the actual throughput of data transmission, which in turn effectsless dissipation losses in the electronic components of the terminaldevice which are involved in data reception. Hence, the terminal devicemay cause the communication network explicitly or implicitly to performa required re-configuration of parameters affecting the timely averageddata throughput from the communication network to the terminal device.

Certain embodiments relate to a general idea based on the perceptionthat in communication systems it is common that the network controls howoften and how much a terminal device is allowed to send and/or receivedata. The sending and reception of data on the terminal side generatesheat and may in high load situations cause the UE to overheat. Certainembodiments relate to a way to handle this situation by enabling theuser equipment (UE) to inform the communication network that it is insuch a condition that the network should limit allocations for the UE inorder to limit heat generation or for any other reasons found by UE. Thesame applies for the actual data throughput (data transmission rate), inparticular by which data is send from the network the UE. In otherwords, reducing or throttling the data rate by the network also canreduce generation of heat in the UE.

One or more certain embodiments implement a new use of the DTX/DRXmechanism for control of discontinuous transmission (DTX) and/ordiscontinuous reception (DRX), which enables a protocol to be inactiveat certain time period between actual active receptions andtransmissions. Normally DRX is used in portable devices in order topreserve battery consumption which is one major priority. Generally, anelectronic device does not produce heat while not actively used. Inthese embodiments, a way is introduced by which it is possible to reducethe power consumption and thereby the heat generation, by effectivelyallowing a decrease of the duty cycle of the protocol by use of theDRX/DTX mechanism. This may be handled by enabling the UE to inform thenetwork that it is now in such a situation that the network should limitits allocations for the UE in order to limit the heat generation in theUE. The network is enabled to do this by adjusting the DRX and DTXcycle. The suggested use of, for instance, the DRX cycle as a controlparameter of the identified problem is a novel use of the DRX/DTXmechanism.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects and features will become apparent from the followingdetailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings aredesigned solely for purposes of illustration and not as a definition ofthe limits of the invention, for which reference should be made to theappended claims only. It should be further understood that the drawingsare merely intended to conceptually illustrate the structures andprocedures described herein.

FIG. 1 shows a diagram illustrating a radio access network architecture,in accordance with certain aspects of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic block diagram representing a mobile terminaland a base station device of a radio access network, in accordance withcertain aspects of the invention;

FIG. 3 shows a signalling diagram illustrating different signallingimplementations, in accordance with certain aspects of the invention;and

FIG. 4 shows a schematic block diagram of a computer-basedimplementation, in accordance with certain aspects of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

In the following description of the various embodiments, reference ismade to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and inwhich is shown by way of illustration various embodiments in which theinvention may be practiced. It is to be understood that otherembodiments may be utilized and structural and functional modificationsmay be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the presentinvention.

The following embodiments, described in greater detail below, mayoperate in connection with a DRX/DTX-based overheating control procedurein a user equipment device (e.g., a mobile terminal), which uses awireless connection to a base station device of a radio access network(RAN), such as the long-term evolution (LTE) of the 3GPP (3rd GenerationPartnership Project) UTRAN (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System(UMTS) Terrestrial Radio Access Network), also called E-UTRAN.

Mobile protocols may implement commonly known forms of power savingmechanisms, such as discontinuous transmission (DTX) and/ordiscontinuous reception (DRX). In particular, DRX may be used incommunication networks to conserve battery energy of receiving devices,such as mobile devices or user equipments (UE). The UE and the networkmay negotiate phases in which data transfer happens. Alternatively thenetwork may command the phases at which the data transfer happens. Thismechanism may enable a protocol, and possibly the whole device, to beinactive at certain time periods between actual active receptions andtransmissions. Thus, using this mechanism, power consumption and heatgeneration may be potentially reduced. In other words, during the timesthe device has turned its receiver off; it may enter into a low-powerstate in which dissipation losses may also be reduced or even minimized.

The DRX and DTX mechanisms may effectively decrease the duty cycle of aprotocol. For example, if a protocol is ordered to receive only everysecond possible transmission, duty cycle is ½. Roughly speaking, byreducing or decreasing the duty cycle for reception or transmission,dissipation losses related thereto may be avoided. Moreover, when thereceiving or transmitting circuits are switched off there may be no heatdissipation or generation of heat at all. Hence, heat in the involvedelectronic components may be reduced. In other words, power consumptionand heat generation are linked together.

In the UMTS Radio Access Network, DRX and DTX mechanisms may betypically utilized in paging states, where the UE is listeningperiodically to the paging channel. DRX period(s), triggers, and timersused in DRX may be configured by the Radio Resource Control (RRC)functionality. Also, the network may direct inactive UEs to DRX byexplicit commands.

As UE dissipation losses greatly depend on how often UE has to turn onits transceiver, it becomes clear from the above description that theDRX/DTX interval may have an impact on UE dissipation losses, that is,heat generation in the circuit components involved. Thus, one way ofpreventing overheating is to enable the use of DRX/DTX in such a waythat the network may adjust the DRX/DTX parameters such that thereceiving operation of a terminal device does not generate more heat inthe terminal device than the device is able to get rid of. Moregenerally, if the network knows about the present heat situation of theterminal device, then the network may be able to adjust the transmissionrate of data sent from the network to the terminal device. In otherwords, the use of the DRX/DTX mechanisms is only one approach to handleheat generation in the terminal device, by adapting the actualtransmission data rate.

In LTE, which is a packet based system, it may be assumed that allresources are assigned more or less temporarily by the network to the UEby use of allocation tables (AT), or more generally by use of a downlink(DL) resource assignment channel. These assignments or allocations maybe grouped into one-time allocations and persistent allocations. Onetime resource assignment means that through the AT the UE will receiveuplink (UL) and/or DL resource allocations which are valid only once andfor that particular allocation in time. Alternatively, UL/DL resourcesmay be assigned temporarily for a longer time period—so—calledpersistent allocations. This longer resource assignment may be done forlonger predetermined time or until new allocation information issignalled to the UE.

According to certain embodiments, information related to the temperaturein the UE 10 or to the actual generated heat caused by dissipationlosses (in short hereinafter “heat related information”) may beindicated by the UE as an overheating status information to the network30, in particular the network device (e.g., a network element, the nodeB 20), which, in this example, is in charge of the allocation cycle timefor the UE 10.

For the indication of excessive heat generation, the heat relatedinformation may be signalled from the UE 10 to the node B 20 by eitherL1, L2, or L3 level messaging. In the simplest implementation such heatrelated information might only include one bit indicating that UE 10 isor is not happy with current state/situation of heat generation. Inother words, a one-bit heat related information may indicate to thenetwork whether further adaptation or adjustment of the actualtransmission data rate from the network 30 to the UE 10 may be required.Alternatively, the heat related information may include several bitswhich may indicate relative or absolute heat (e.g., corresponding to arelative or absolute heat measurement) in the UE 10 to the node B 20 orthe network 30, respectively.

FIG. 2 shows an illustrative schematic block diagram which represents amobile terminal or UE 10 and a base station device or node B 20 of aradio access network 30, to which in the following will be referred tomore generally as the “network”. Both the UE 10 and the node B 20 mayinclude transceiver (TRX) circuits 11, 21 for transmission and receptionof wireless signals.

It is noted that the devices 10 and 20 of the block diagram of FIG. 2only include certain illustrative components for demonstrating certainaspects of the DRX scheme as one approach to control heat generation inthe UE via the set transmission data rate. Other possible componentshave been omitted from this example for reasons of simplicity.

Initially or as a default procedure, regular or normal DRX parametersmay be determined and assigned to the UE 10 by the network and may bebased on the current connection requirements. For that purpose, the nodeB 20 may include a DRX control function or DRX control unit 22 which maybe configured to provide control signalling by using a suitable controllayer for setting and controlling the DRX scheme applied at the UE 10.Typically (but not necessarily), as mentioned above, the DRX controlunit 22 may use the Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol layer forsetting or changing the regular DRX scheme. Accordingly, the DRX controlunit 22 may be part of or controlled by the RRC entity of the network.

In the UE 10 in this example, DRX is achieved by controlling the TRXcircuit 11 by a respective DRX control unit 12 which may selectivelycontrol a DRX timer circuit 13 to count or measure a predetermined DRXcycle time or DRX interval. The timer setting may be controlled by acontrol signal received from the node B 20 and provided by the DRXcontrol unit 22. For detecting the actual temperature, or more generallythe actual heat generation in the UE 10 or at certain components of theUE 10, the UE may include a detector unit 15 for deriving the heatrelated information, which may be in the simplest implementation atemperature sensor. Additionally, the UE 10 may include a signallingcontrol unit 14 configured to generate and process signalling messagesexchanged with the network via the TRX circuit 11. Thus, the actual heatinformation can be indicated to the network, i.e. to the node B 20 inthis example, by a signalling message generated by the signallingcontrol unit 14.

In this example, the DRX cycle (also called “DRX period” or “DRXinterval”) of the DRX timer circuit 13 of the UE 10 can be adjusted onthe network side, upon the receipt of the heat related informationprovided by the UE 10 to the respective control unit in the node B 20 ofthe network 30.

It should be noted that the respective setting of the DRX timer circuit13 is not restricted to time values (e.g., seconds, etc.) In otherwords, many other possible time period indications may be used, such assystem specific timing units (e.g., duration of sub-frames, frames,etc.). Further, counter-based timings may be applicable, such as acertain amount/number of repetitions or instances of a certain message.

Additionally, the DRX timer circuit 13 and the DRX control unit 12 ofthe UE 10, as well as the DRX control unit 22 of the node B 20 may beimplemented as programs or subroutines (e.g., as computer-readablemedia) controlling a processor device or computer device to implementthe required functionalities. Alternatively, implementation of the abovefunctionalities may be achieved by discrete hardware circuits or units.

According to other certain embodiments, a developing overheatingcondition at the UE 10 may indicate a change in UE's capabilities to thenetwork, i.e. the node B 20. That is to say, if the UE 10 detects heatgeneration raising to a predetermined critical level it may signal achange in its capabilities. This could be, for example, a change in theUE's data throughput capabilities or the UE's minimum DRX capabilities,etc.

This example may require less or possibly even no changes at the node B20, since the effect of providing heat related information from the UE10 to the network may be provided implicitly or indirectly. In otherwords, the UE 10 may be configured such that the node B 20 or any othernetwork element of the network 30, which is responsible or in charge ofcontrol for the actual transmission data rate, is informed of thecapabilities of the UE 10 in such a manner that the network 30 orresponsible network element may in turn adjust the effective data ratefrom the network to the UE 10. Hence, the dissipation losses in the UE10 may be reduced by an increase of the DRX cycle time, in case theindication of a change in the UE's capabilities corresponds to theminimum DRX capabilities.

In another example, the UE 10 may be enabled to directly affect networkbased DRX control algorithm. As in previous examples, the UE 10 mayinclude a component(s) to measure the actual heat generation or actualtemperature of its critical electronic components, such as one orseveral temperature sensors, which may be used to detect overheating orindicate that a predetermined temperature measurement has been reached.Based on the heat related measurement data generated (e.g., by thedetector 15), a control algorithm in the UE, which may be implemented inthe signalling control unit 14, may generate a predetermined signal tothe network. For instance, the UE 10 may send a request to the node B 20to lower the DRX interval or to set DRX interval to specified value orrange.

A network element responsible for DRX/DTX control may then assign andcommunicate the new DRX interval to the UE 10. As described inconnection with previous examples, this network element may be the nodeB 20 which may include a DRX control function or unit 22 configured toprovide control signalling by using a suitable control layer for settingand controlling the DRX scheme applied at the UE 10. The DRX controlunit 22 may use the radio resource control (RRC) protocol layer forsetting or changing the regular DRX scheme. Accordingly, the DRX controlunit 22 may be part of or controlled by the RRC entity of the network.Alternatively, the request could also be a direct request to the networkto lower the data throughput.

One potential advantage of such embodiments relates to the lowimplementation costs for present network devices. The control algorithmand associated control signalling may be implemented in softwareexecuted by the involved devices/elements. Additionally, any temperaturesensor that may be used may typically be already available on hardwareside of the user equipment.

FIG. 3 shows a diagram illustrating certain different signallingimplementations according to embodiments of the present invention. Inthese examples, there is an ongoing data transfer between the network NWand the user equipment UE. In block S100 the UE detects a potentialoverheating situation, which is caused by the electronic components ofthe UE involved in the data receiving operation generating more heat bydissipation losses than can be disposed to the environment of the UE bythe actual temperature gap between the UE and the surroundingenvironment. A conventional approach of switching off the UE to avoidfurther heat generation may be undesirable since the user of the UEwould not able to make use of the device.

In certain embodiments, the UE may be configured to alternatively oradditionally inform the network by techniques shown in blocks S210,S220, and S230. By the approach of block S210, the UE may provide thenetwork explicitly with heat related information, including a heatindication.

Further, by the approach of block S220, the UE may provide the networkimplicitly with heat related information, (e.g., as a capability updateof the UE). In other words, by informing the network about a change ofUE's capability, the network may adjust the inactivity period (DRX)and/or the actual data rate (data throughput) accordingly.

Furthermore, by the approach implemented by block S230 the UE may sendthe network a DRX/DTX update request, in which the UE may provide thenetwork with a cause element alike “cause value==HEAT”. As before, thenetwork may adapt or adjust the actual DRX interval for the UEaccordingly, which may potentially require further signalling.

In block S300, the network may reduce the data throughput (data rate) tothe UE or increase the DRX/DTX interval, which may potentially result ina reduced timely average of the data (transmission) rate.

As noted above, the functionalities described in connection with FIGS.1, 2, and 3 may be implemented as discrete hardware or signal processingunits, and/or as computer readable media (e.g., software routines orprograms) controlling a processor or computer device to perform theprocessing steps of the above functionalities. Accordingly, FIG. 4 showsan illustrative schematic block diagram reflecting a software-basedimplementation of the respective embodiments.

Accordingly, the device 200, which may be a component of the userequipment (e.g. a mobile terminal device) or the network element (e.g. anode B of the communication network), may include a processing unit 210,which may be any processor or computing device with a control unit whichperforms control based on software routines of a control program storedin a memory 212 provided in or at the device 200.

The software routines of a control program may include program codeinstructions which are fetched from the memory 212 and are loaded to thecontrol unit of the processing unit 210 in order to perform theprocessing steps of the above functionalities described in connectionwith the FIGS. 1 to 3. The respective processing steps may be performedon the basis of input data DI and may generate output data DO, whereinthe input and output data DI, DO may relate to the control signallingoccurring at the device 200, which may be the user equipment or thenetwork element.

Thus, certain embodiments described above provide methods, systems,network elements, terminal devices, and computer readable media (e.g.,program products) for preventing the electronics in an electronic devicesuch as a mobile terminal device from overheating in a communicationnetwork environment. Heat related information indicating heat generationor simple temperature at the terminal device may be communicated to thenetwork element, causing the network element on the network side toadjust an inactivity period and/or an actual transmission data rate,(e.g., using DRX/DTX parameter adjustment), such that a further rise intemperature at the terminal device caused by dissipation losses in theinvolved electronic components of the terminal device might not occur.Additionally, a control loop may be constituted starting at the terminaldevice, which detects the heat related information, provides the heatrelated information explicitly or implicitly to the network, which maythen adjust the inactivity period and/or the transmission data rate baseon the provided heat related information. As a result, dissipationlosses caused by an actual reception data rate from the network to theterminal device may potentially be controlled and reduced.

It is to be noted that the present invention is not restricted to theembodiments described above, but can be implemented in many differentnetwork environments in which terminal devices may suffer from high heatdissipation due to high data traffic provide from the network to theterminal device. Additionally, many different signalling techniques ortypes of messages may be used for transferring the heat information fromthe terminal device to the network. For example, the heat informationmay even be obtained based on a DRX related request.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out many differentaspects as applied to the embodiments, it will be understood thatvarious omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and detailsof the devices and methods described may be made by those skilled in theart without departing from the present invention. For example, it isexpressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or methodsteps, which perform substantially the same function in substantiallythe same way to achieve the same results, be within the scope of theinvention. Moreover, it should be recognized that structures and/orelements and/or method steps shown and/or described in connection withany disclosed form or embodiment of the invention may be incorporated inany other disclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment as ageneral matter of design choice. It is the intention, therefore, to belimited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

1. A method comprising: generating at a data receiving terminal deviceheat related information based on at least one of heat generation andtemperature of electronic components in the terminal device, saidterminal device connected to a communication network sending data to theterminal device; and sending the heat related information to thecommunication network, said heat related information causing thecommunication network to adjust at least one of an inactivity period anda throughput of data sent to the terminal device from the communicationnetwork in response to the heat related information.
 2. A methodcomprising: receiving heat related information at a communicationnetwork from a terminal device connected thereto, wherein the heatrelated information is based on at least one of a heat generationmeasurement and a temperature of electronic components in the terminaldevice; and adjusting at least one of an inactivity period and athroughput of data sent from the network to the terminal device inresponse to the heat related information.
 3. The method of claim 2,wherein the adjusting at least one of the inactivity period and thethroughput of data comprises changing an interval of discontinuousreception (DRX) at the terminal device.
 4. The method of claim 1,wherein the heat related information is sent from the terminal device tothe communication network by one of L1 level messaging, L2 levelmessaging, or L3 level messaging.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein theheat related information comprises one bit indicating whether thecurrent state of a heat generation measurement or a temperature at theterminal device requires adjustment.
 6. The method of claim 1, whereinthe heat related information comprises a plurality of bits correspondingto at least one of a relative or an absolute heat measurement of theterminal device.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the heatrelated information to the communication network comprises signalling achange in terminal device capabilities, wherein the terminal devicecapabilities comprise at least one of a data throughput capability and aminimum DRX capability.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the heatrelated information comprises one of a request to lower a DRX intervaland a request to set a DRX interval to a specified value or range ofvalues.
 9. An electronic device comprising at least one detector thatdetects heat related information corresponding to at least one of a heatgeneration measurement or a temperature of components of the electronicdevice; and a signalling control unit configured to send the heatrelated information to a communication network connected to theelectronic device, wherein the heat related information comprisesreference information for the communication network for adjusting atleast one of an inactivity period and a throughput of data transmissionfrom the communication network to the electronic device.
 10. Theelectronic device of claim 9, further comprising a timer configured totime a discontinuous reception interval of a discontinuous receptionscheme, wherein said interval is adjustable by the communication networkto effect the inactivity period and the throughput of data sent to theelectronic device from the communication network in response to the heatrelated information.
 11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein theadjusting at least one of the inactivity period and the throughput ofdata transmission comprises changing an interval of discontinuousreception at the electronic device.
 12. The electronic device of claim9, wherein the signalling control unit is configured to send the heatrelated information from the electronic device to the communicationnetwork by one of L1 level messaging, L2 level messaging, or L3 levelmessaging.
 13. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the heatrelated information comprises one bit indicating whether the currentstate of a heat generation measurement or a temperature at theelectronic device requires adjustment.
 14. The electronic device ofclaim 9, wherein the heat related information comprises several bitscorresponding to at least one of a relative or an absolute heatmeasurement of the electronic device.
 15. The electronic device of claim9, wherein the signalling control unit is configured to send the heatrelated information to the communication network by signalling a changein device capabilities, wherein the device capabilities comprise atleast one of a data throughput capability and a minimum DRX capability.16. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the signalling controlunit is configured to send to the communication network one of a requestto lower a DRX interval or a request to set a DRX interval to aspecified value or range of values.
 17. A network device comprising: acontrol unit configured to control at least one of an inactivity periodand a throughput of data transmission from a communication network to aterminal device connected to the network device, wherein the networkdevice is configured to adjust the inactivity period or the throughputof data transmission based on reception of heat related information fromthe terminal device, wherein the heat related information is based on atleast one of a heat generation measurement or a temperature ofelectronic components of the terminal device.
 18. The network device ofclaim 17, wherein the control unit is configured to adjust theinactivity period or the throughput of data transmission by adjusting anallocated discontinuous receiving interval time for the receivingterminal device.
 19. The network device of claim 17, wherein the controlunit is configured to receive the heat related information from theterminal device by one of L1 level messaging, L2 level messaging, or L3level messaging.
 20. The network device of claim 17, wherein the heatrelated information comprises one bit indicating whether the currentstate of a heat generation measurement or a temperature at the terminaldevice requires adjustment.
 21. The network device of claim 17, whereinthe heat related information comprises several bits corresponding to atleast one of a relative or an absolute heat measurement of the terminaldevice.
 22. The network device of claim 17, wherein the terminal devicecomprises a signalling unit configured to send the heat relatedinformation to the communication network by signalling a change interminal device capabilities, wherein the terminal device capabilitiescorrespond to at least one of a data throughput capability and a minimumDRX capability.
 23. The network device of claim 17, wherein the terminaldevice comprises a signalling unit configured to send to thecommunication network one of a request to lower a DRX interval or arequest to set a DRX interval to a specified value or range of values.24. One or more computer readable media storing computer-executableinstructions which, when executed on a computer system, perform a methodcomprising: generating at a data receiving terminal device heat relatedinformation based on at least one of a heat generation measurement and atemperature of electronic components in the terminal device, saidterminal device connected to a communication network sending data to theterminal device; and sending the heat related information to thecommunication network, said heat related information causing thecommunication network to adjust at least one of an inactivity period anda throughput of data sent to the terminal device from the communicationnetwork in response to the heat related information.
 25. One or morecomputer readable media storing computer-executable instructions which,when executed on a computer system, perform a method comprising:receiving heat related information at a communication network from aterminal device connected thereto, wherein the heat related informationis based on at least one of a heat generation measurement and atemperature of electronic components in the terminal device; andadjusting at least one of an inactivity period and a throughput of datasent from the network to the terminal device in response to the heatrelated information.